Buying nursery trees costs $50-$200 each, but the Arbor Day Foundation free trees program lets you plant 10 trees for just a $12 annual membership fee. That works out to $1.20 per tree — a fraction of retail prices. The foundation has distributed over 500 million trees since 1972, and the program remains one of the best deals in home landscaping. Here is how it works, what to expect, and how to give your free trees the best chance of thriving.
How the Free Tree Program Works
Join the Arbor Day Foundation at arborday.org for $12 per year. Within 2-4 weeks of joining (during planting season), you receive 10 trees shipped bare-root to your door. The specific species depend on your USDA Hardiness Zone — the foundation selects varieties suited to your climate automatically based on your ZIP code.
Trees arrive dormant, typically 6-12 inches tall, wrapped in moist packing material. They look like sticks with roots. Do not be alarmed by their size — these are seedlings, not nursery-ready specimens. With proper planting and care, most species grow 2-3 feet per year and reach significant size within 5-7 years.
Available Tree Species by Region
The foundation rotates its offerings seasonally, but common packages include:
- Northeast/Midwest (Zones 3-6): Red maple, white pine, Colorado blue spruce, white flowering dogwood, red oak
- Southeast (Zones 7-9): Crepe myrtle, live oak, Southern magnolia, bald cypress, Eastern redbud
- Southwest (Zones 7-10): Desert willow, Texas red oak, Mexican plum, vitex, Arizona cypress
- Pacific Northwest (Zones 6-8): Douglas fir, Western red cedar, Pacific dogwood, vine maple, red alder
You cannot choose individual species — the foundation sends a curated mix for your zone. However, some seasonal promotions offer specific collections like flowering trees, shade trees, or fruit trees. Check the website in January and February for the widest selection of specialty packages.
Planting Your Free Trees
Plant bare-root trees within 48 hours of delivery for the best survival rate. If you cannot plant immediately, soak the roots in water for 3-6 hours and store them in a cool, shaded location with roots wrapped in damp newspaper. They can survive up to a week this way, but every day of delay reduces establishment success.
- Dig a hole twice as wide as the root spread and just deep enough that the root collar sits at soil level
- Create a small mound of soil at the bottom of the hole and drape roots over it naturally
- Backfill with native soil — do not add compost or amendments to the hole (this discourages roots from growing outward)
- Water deeply with 2-3 gallons, letting it soak in slowly
- Apply 2-3 inches of mulch in a 3-foot circle around the trunk, keeping mulch 2 inches away from the bark
First-Year Care and Survival Tips
The first growing season determines whether your free trees thrive or die. Water deeply once per week — 1-2 gallons per tree — during the first year. Sandy soil drains fast and may need watering twice weekly. Clay soil holds moisture longer, so check before watering by pushing a finger 2 inches into the soil. If it feels damp, wait another day or two.
Protect seedlings from deer with 4-foot wire cages made from hardware cloth ($15 for a 10-foot roll). Deer browse kills more young trees than any other factor in suburban and rural areas. Rabbits gnaw bark at the base — wrap trunks with plastic spiral tree guards ($1 each) through the first two winters. Remove the guards each spring to prevent moisture and insect buildup underneath.
Realistic Expectations for Growth
Bare-root seedlings need 1-2 years to establish their root systems before producing significant top growth. Expect minimal visible growth the first summer. By year two, healthy trees put on 12-24 inches of new growth. By year five, fast growers like red maple and white pine can reach 8-12 feet tall. Slower species like oak and dogwood may be 5-7 feet at the five-year mark.
Survival rates for Arbor Day Foundation free trees run 60-80% when planted properly. Plan for some losses by planting all 10 trees even if you only want 6-7 to survive. The extras can be transplanted to neighbors or other areas of your property once they are established enough to move (typically after 2-3 years).
Beyond the Basic Membership
The $12 membership includes more than just trees. Members receive a subscription to Arbor Day magazine (published bimonthly), access to the Tree Identification Guide app, and discounts on the foundation’s online nursery where you can buy larger specimens at below-retail prices. The foundation also offers specialized programs — Rain Forest Rescue, Tree City USA, and Community Tree Recovery — for homeowners interested in broader environmental impact.
The Arbor Day Foundation free trees program ships during your region’s ideal planting window: spring for northern states (March-May) and fall for southern states (October-December). Orders placed outside the shipping window are queued for the next available season. Join early in the year for the fastest delivery and the best selection of available species packages.
